Red Deadnettle flower
Common name: Red Deadnettle
Genus & Species: Lamium purpureum L.
Family: Lamiaceae
Other Common Names and similar species:
Red Deadnettle is also known as Purple Deadnettle or Purple Archangel. It is similar to the Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule) which can be distinguished by its unstalked leaves. They bear a superficial resemblance to small stinging nettles, but do not sting.
Range and Habitat:
The Red Deadnettle is found in meadows, hedgerows, woodland edges, roadsides and gardens.
General ID:
It has square stems to 5–20 cm (rarely 30 cm) in height. The leaves have fine hairs, are green at the bottom and shade to purplish at the top. They are 2–4 cm long and broad, with a 1–2 cm leaf stalk, with wavy to serrated margins. The leaves release a pungent and aromatic scent when crushed, which can be described as musty or mousy in nature.
The flowers are bright red-purple, with a top hood-like petal, two lower lip petal lobes and minute fang-like lobes between. The petals show a line of hairs near the base of the tube. They may be produced throughout the year, including mild weather in winter.
For food…
Young plants have edible tops and leaves, used in salads or in stir-fry as a spring vegetable. If finely chopped it can also be used in sauces. The flowers are nectar rich and are quite sweet.
For healing…
The whole plant is astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, purgative and styptic. In terms of traditional medicinal uses, dried leaves have been used as a poultice to stem haemorrhaging whilst fresh bruised leaves have been applied to external wounds and cuts. The leaves are also made into a tea and drunk to promote perspiration and discharge from the kidneys in treating chills.
The pungent aroma is produced by an essential oil characterised by its high contents of germacrene D. The seed oil contains 16% of an acid characterized as (−)-octadeca-5,6-trans-16-trienoic acid (trivial name `lamenallenic acid'). Other unsaturated esters identified by their cleavage products are oleate, linoleate and linolenate. The plant contains phenylethanoid glycosides named lamiusides A, B, C, D and E and a flavonol 3-O-glucoside-6″-O-malonyltransferase.
In culture…
The botanical name Lamium is derived from the Greek ‘Lamia’ referring to a monster which devours, due to the resemblance of the flowers to gaping jaws. The common name Archangel is thought to refer to the fact that it is ‘benevolent’ as it does not sting.
For wildlife…
The flowers are a good early nectar source for long-tongued insects and bees, including bumblebees and the Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis). It is a food plant for the caterpillars of the Garden Tiger (Arctia caja), White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) and Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) moths.
At FFPG…
Red Deadnettle can be found in the chill-out zone and the wilder edges of FFPG!
Disclaimer:
This is intended for information only. FFPG, its staff, trustees and volunteers do not make any claim as to the safety or efficacy of plants listed for medicinal purposes and do not encourage the consumption or use of any of the plants listed herein. Anybody wishing to use plants for medicinal effect is advised to consult their medical professional.
